Improvement in fire-place heaters



s. MERRICK.

FIRE-PLACE HEATER.

. Patented Fe'b.6',1877.

N-PEI'ERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAFNER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES SILAS MERRIGK, OF NEW BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PLACE HEATERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,035, dated February6, 1877 application filed December 21, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS MERRIGK, of New Brighton, Beaver county,Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Fire-Place Heater, of which'thefollowing is the specification The object of my invention is afire-place heater constructed, as fully described hereafter, tofacilitate its attachment in any desired position within the fire-place,and to afford a plentiful supply of air for combustion independent ofany front openings the further object of my invention being a grateconstructed to maintain the fire free from dust, cinders, and clinkers,and to insure a clear fire at the edges as well as at the center.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the fire-place, thegrate being removed. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the heater, showingonehalf partly in section. tion of one of the end frames. Fig. 4, a planof Fig. 3, Fig. 5, a detached view, showing the mode of securing therear cross-bar and side frame; Fig. 6, a plan of Fig. 2; and Fig. 7, aperspective view, enlarged, showing the horizontal grate.

The grate-frame consists of the end frames A A, rear cross-bar B, andthe front open or slotted grate 0, each frameAbeing L-shaped and castwith vertical ribs forming grooves a a a, with a horizontal innerflange, c, a lug, d, at the outside near the top, and a lip, e, at theinner end. This construction permits the securing of the end frameseasily and firmly in the fire-place in any required position by formingat the back of the fire-place openings eto admit the lips e, and at thesides and back of the frame N openings (1 to admit the lugs (1, so thatwhere the frames are placed against the sides, with their lips and lugsin these openings, they will be more securely fastened than by theexpensive, immovable, and unreliable devices heretofore employed. Afterthe adjustment of the side frames, the rear crosspiece B is placed withits ends in the grooves a, hooks i at the ends extending outside theframes and preventing them from spreading apart, away from thecross-piece, which has perforationswfor apurpose described hereafter.The grate O is passed with its edges in the grooves a between theframes, thus maintaining them closely in contact with the sides of Fig.3 is a side elevathe fire-place, and preventing the possibility of thelugs 11 being withdrawn. The bottom grate D consists of a frame composedof stationary bars m and end pieces m uniting said bars, and movablebars a, which occupy the spaces between the stationary bars, thegrateframe having a positive and secure support on the horizontal armsof the end frames A, and themovable bars bearing at'their ends on theflanges 0. Upon the upper edge of each bar. stationary and movable, is aseries of rectangular lugs, s, and at each end of each bar n is a narrowlug, 13, adapted to the opening between the bars m, which is contractedat the ends, as shown. A rock-shaft, I, extends below the grate,'has itsbearings in the crosspiece B and front grate U, and is provided with alongitudinal feather, M, which enters a slot, 10, in the lower edge ofeach bar n, so that when the shaft is rocked by a suitable handle, allthe movable bars will be carried to and fro longitudinally.

It will be seen that the bars a are shorter than the bars m, so as topermit their movement, and leave ample spaces at the ends for theadmission of air to the edges of the fire, where it is most apt die out,and where clinkers and dust are liaole to collect. This is not onlyprevented by the free admission of air, but by keeping the fire clear bythe rakinglugs i, and by contracting the spaces between the bars at thispoint, so as to prevent any particles, which cannot easily be crushed bythe sliding bars, from being wedged in said spaces, while any particlesthat pass downward to the flanges c are readily displaced by themovements of the bars, leaving an unobstructed air-passage. Therectangular sharpedged lugs s s of the movable bars shear the 'fuelagainst the lugs of the stationary. bars and break up the cinders,clinkers, burnt slate, and other incombustible material until fineenough to pass downward readily, while both series of lugs serveconjointly to rasp and stir the fire and keep it clear.

The grate and frame thus constructed may be applied to the fire-placeeither with the. grate-bars nearly level with the hearth, forming alow-down grate, the ashes falling to the cellar, or it may be elevatedand an ash-pan, J, placed beneath, as shown in Fig.2,an arrangementsuitable for upper stories, and a-deta'chable cover-plate, L, open orclosed and suitably ornamented, is inserted in the grooves 0. so as toprevent dust from falling or being blown out upon the hearth or fender,and to completely cover or conceal the grate G, between which'and thegrate is a space, t, Fig. 6. In such cases a full supply of air isintroduced through a suitable opening,-y, at the rear of the fire-place,the perforated cross-piece permitting its passage, or it may beintroduced at anypoint below the grate, "and will pass upward throughthe grate D to the space t, through the grate (J, and at the rear behindthe erosspiece B, furnishing a most abundant supply, to promote athorough combustion at all points.

It will be apparent that the grate-bars m may be separate instead ofbeing formed into a continuous frame; that difl'erent means may beemployed for operating the movable bars; and that the generalconstruction of the parts may be varied without departing from the mainfeatures of my invention.

I claim 1. The grate-frame, provided with side lugs and rear lips,adapted, as described, to openings in the sides and rear of thefire-place, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a grate-frame, of side frames A A, cross-piece Badapted to grooves a in the side frames, and an upright grate,O, adaptedto grooves a, substantially as specified.

set forth.

4. The combination of a fire-place heater and a plate,'L,-arrangedparallel to the grate, and forming an air-space, t, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination, in a fire-place heater, of a grate, D, a flue toadmit air beneath the grate, an upright grate, O, and a cover-plate, L,forming with the grate .0 a space, t, for thepurpose specified.

6. The combination, in a fire-place grate or heater, of the stationarybars m, intermediate spaces contracted at the ends, and series ofseparate movable bars. n 11. provided with lugs t, extending upward intosaid contracted spaces, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, in a fire-place grate or heater, of the stationaryand the'intermediate movable bars, bothprovided with angular lugs s,substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony, whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SILAS MERRIGK.

Witn esses J AMES EDGAR, BENJ. WILDE.

